OS Showdown: Windows 2000 vs. Linux

BBspot has earned a reputation for its fair and honest reporting, and now we continue that tradition with our hardware and software product guides. Other tech sites will bore you with in-depth "technicaldetails" in their product guides. They've probably even used the products. Here at BBspot such technicalities don't prevent us from offering our opinions. We take a look at Windows 2000 and Linux head to head, so we can determine who wins the coveted BBspot Technical Excellence Award.

Names - Linux, for reasons I'd rather not get into, I always think of eunuchs when I hear the word Linux. I think it would've been better if Linus' brother Malcom would've developed the OS. Then at least it would've been funny - Malcomix. Windows 2000 makes me think "Wow, that Windows movie had a lot of sequels," or "Gee, better get that product namer a Pulitzer for originality." While neither rivals TRSDOS, I begrudgingly have to give this one to Microsoft.

Advantage - Windows 2000

Domain Names - Windows2000.com redirects you to a Windows 2000 product page on the Microsoft site. I'm not sure I'd trust my mission critical apps to a company that can't even afford to give its flagship OS its own domain name. Linux.com on the other hand avoids the Microsoftian subterfuge and is just what it says. It's a nice looking site with lots of good information. But wait a minute let's take a look at the other side of the issue. Windows2000sucks.com is a pretty sad "sucks" site, Microsoft can't even do that right. It doesn't even look functional. Linuxsucks.com is another great Linux site.

Advantage - Linux

Mascots - The Linux mascot is Tux the penguin. A cute little fellow, but very vulnerable to killer whales. Now a orca, that would be a cool mascot, but I guess Sea World already has that. Windows 2000 doesn't really have a mascot unless you call that flying multi-colored window a mascot. It might get a little bloody on some broken shards of glass, but I think even a penguin could destroy a pansy window.

Advantage - Linux

Search Engines - A search for "Linux is great" on Google yields 1,080,000 results. A search for "Windows 2000 is Great" yields 1,050,000. An apparent victory for Linux. Not so fast. A search for "Linux Sucks" yields 114,000 results, and a search for "Windows 2000 Sucks" gets 66,700. Why do I envision Microsoft engineers setting up thousands of web pages with just "Linux Sucks" on them so they could win this round. While not being so great, it just doesn't suck as much.

Advantage: Windows 2000

Magic Eight Ball - I decided that I needed an unbiased opinion on which is better. What's more unbiased than a Magic 8 Ball? I asked the Magic 8 Ball - "Is Windows 2000 better than Linux?" The response: "MY SOURCES SAY NO" That's pretty clear. Just to be sure I rephrased the question. "Is Linux better than Windows 2000?" The response "AS I SEE IT YES". Good to see that the Magic 8 Ball hasn't succumbed to the Microsoft Propaganda Machine.